Work Going Virtual

While virtual employment has been on the rise for years, the pandemic accelerated the change. This acceleration and nature of change puts pressure on integral social and economic components of our societies. As more virtual and remote work opportunities become available, we will have to adjust our understanding of what it means to be employed and redefine employment relationships. With skill sets, determination, and access, people are somewhat less beholden to remaining in working conditions they don’t consider ideal. On the flip side employers and companies are less beholden to retaining employees for work they could contract out to a competitive marketplace of digital freelancers. These changing relationships and the rise of freelance also has implications for our tax structures and social programs. Virtual work doesn’t inherently equate to quality or stability of employment, often people are employed through a series of short-term contracts. What it looks like to be employed and employed full time, will change more rapidly than legislation will be able to keep up opening a door for vulnerability of economies, governments, and their citizens. As working conditions shift, governments and communities need to be strategic on how to appeal to, and support, in person and virtual employees. Potential income instabilities associated with freelance and virtual work can have rippling impacts on social services. Combined with aging populations, who as well as how our working age population is employed will dictate the level and type of support accessible to us. Loss of third places is already a socially and culturally concerning notion, what happens if we lose one of the two we have left, the workplace? There are certain social components that in-person work provides and as seen during the forced sparations caused by the pandemic, there are very real and serious consequences to removing in-person work from the equation. Economic impacts can’t be the sole focus of this driver, social health and cohesion concerns should be central to the conversation, and solutions, we explore.

Canada and the Changing Nature of Work by Policy Horizons Canada discusses the future of work in Canada and the potential impact of automation and artificial intelligence. It identifies 3 insights as to what is changing:

• Work is moving online
• Work is becoming borderless
• Work is becoming flexible but uncertain

It suggests that while these technologies will lead to job displacement, they also present opportunities for new types of work. The report recommends investing in education and training programs to prepare workers for the changing job market and suggests implementing policies to support workers who are displaced by automation.

The OECD Scenarios for the Future of Schooling by OECD is a chapter of four scenarios for 2040:

• Schooling extended
• Education outsourced
• Schools as learning hubs
• Learn-as-you-go

The 'Education outsourced' scenario looks to signals of new forms of work that could indicate this scenario is emerging. As a whole, the document explores the role of digital technologies and their impact on the education system and role teachers might play moving forward.

Future of Government in 2030 by e.Republic is a series of short essays compiling the thoughts of over two dozen futurists. Some of these cover the topic of work and predict that remote work will become more widespread.

Scenarios for the Russian Federation by World Economic Forum analyzes four different scenarios for the future of Russia, based on varying levels of economic, political, and social development. These scenarios range from a “Global Reset” that sees a complete overhaul of the world economy, to a “Low Momentum” scenario where Russia stagnates in its current state. One of the influential global forces shaping these scenarios is the combination of demographic shifts and talent mobility. The increasing demand for highly skilled professionals, who prioritize quality of life and exhibit greater mobility, poses a significant challenge for countries reliant on human capital for economic development, as their ability to attract international talent becomes crucial for achieving success.

Global Foresight 2022 by Atlantic Council examines three scenarios and their implications on global trends and challenges.

• Cold War II, with a twist
• A World Transformed by Climate Shocks
• A Democratic Resistance

The scenarios draw insights from ten prominent trends, one of which is “Technology's double-edged sword” which looks at the impact technology has had on work. The report delves into topics such as geopolitics, technology, climate change, and economic shifts, exploring the interplay between these factors.